Craft, Art, Science

misha asked me:

What’s the difference between art and science again?

To answer, I reuse my old post from “A Sentimental Journey”:

I prefer to use nomination (simple naming of things, or giving examples) rather than definitions. Therefore a possible answer is: Opera is art. Pottery is a craft. Physics is a science. Of course, the boundaries between the three is sometimes hard to draw. Yesterday I visited Crafting Beauty exhibition at the British Museum, I had a chance to see an example of a fusion of art and craft.

KurodaTatsuaki (1904-82), Ornamental Box in a Flowering Design, about 1957

Most artists represented at the exhibition are designated as “Living National Treasures”; this concept is so remarkable that deserve explanation. Since 1950, Japanese law protects not only tangible cultural assets (historical buildings, monuments, landscapes, etc.) but also certain intangible cultural assets, such as performance skills in traditional theater and craft techniques. Holders of these skills are known as “Living National Treasures”. The exhibtion in the British Museum was organised by the Agency for Cultural Affairs which designates new holders of the title records their craft techniques and exhibit their works.